Case Number 08410: Small Claims Court

MEZZO: COMPLETE COLLECTION

The Charge

Danger never looked so good.

The Case

Whenever there's a dangerous job that needs to be handled, legal or
otherwise, call the Danger Service Agency. The three-member group might not look
like much, operating out of a beat-up old bus and driving around the city in a
bright pink VW Beetle. But when danger breaks out, this team dives into the
action, taking out the bad guys and leaving incredible amounts of property
damage in their wake.

And what a team this is: Mikura might look like a perky teen girl, but when
the chips are down, no one can handle firearms or kick butt with martial arts
like she can. Harada is the team's Coolio-haired tech expert, whipping up all
sorts of gadgets and doo-dads to save the day. Leading the team and handling the
money is Pops, a former police detective who loves noodles and worries about his
receding hairline. Along for the ride is Asami, the unofficial fourth team
member, a shy girl who admires Mikura and who always ends up a part of the
action somehow.

All 13 episodes (or "shells" of you're using the lingo here) of
Mezzo are included on this three-disc set, but not the far more violent
and racy Mezzo Forte OAV the series is based on. Still, one does not have
to have seen the original film to follow the series. Everything moves at a quick
pace, with each episode more or less a stand-alone tale.

Typical episode: the team is hanging out at their low-rent headquarters,
where they get a job of unusual and potentially dangerous nature. While on the
job, though, our heroes discover some sort of unusual twist in the proceedings.
This is usually a science fiction element to the plot, such as aliens, androids,
ghosts, virtual reality run amok, and even a mummy's curse. There's some
slapstick craziness, followed by gunfights, martial arts fighting, and
explosions. Everything's then wrapped up in a melodramatic conclusion where the
DSA's clients' lives are changed forever. Roll credits and bring on the next
episode. To be fair, there is an overall "arc" tying all the episodes
together, but it's only hinted at except in the last two.

As you can tell by the above synopsis, Mezzo is a real "everything but
the kitchen sink" series. The creators want big, violent action, but they
also want cutesy comedy and overwrought heartbreaking drama as well. It's a wild
ride while you're watching it, but all the various pieces don't quite hold
together at the end.

For example, take the series' star, Mikura. She is so expertly skilled in
martial arts that she can take out any opponent, even big burly guys twice her
size. She's also the group's weapons master, whipping out guns of various sizes
at different times, happily blowing away thugs and henchmen by the dozens. On
the other hand, she's a happy, perky girly-girl, always with a smile on her
young-looking face and an upbeat attitude. There's also a definite sexual
element to her, as seen in her skin-tight leg revealing jumpsuit thing she
wears. She's an "all-in-one" character, as if the creators attempted
to create the ultimate "anime babe" with elements of all anime staples
stuffed into a single character. Imagine if Joss Whedon attempted to take Willow
and Cordelia's character traits and combine with Buffy's personality, and you
get the idea.

Visually, the animation here is rich in detail, with smooth, fluid
movements, especially during the many fighting scenes. The transfer here
benefits that, with bright, vibrant colors and no defects. The 5.1 English track
is solid, with big booming explosions. The Japanese 2.0 track isn't quite as
immersive, but should still satisfy the anti-dub audience. The only extras are
trailers for six other anime releases.

Enjoy it for the crazy, over-the-top action, but not for the
paint-by-numbers story. A rental is recommended.